Police question six over NI murder

Police investigating the machete murder of a west Belfast man as he lay in bed with his pregnant wife last week are now questioning…

Police investigating the machete murder of a west Belfast man as he lay in bed with his pregnant wife last week are now questioning six suspects.

John Joseph Mongan was murdered by a gang of men wielding hatchets and a machete at his home in Fallswater Street in the city. His sons are also believed to have witnessed the attack. His wife has since given birth to their third son.

A 68-year-old woman, arrested on Thursday, has been released pending further inquiries, the PSNI confirmed last night.

However two men, aged 32 and 37, and also arrested on the day of the killing, are still in police custody. Police have also detained four other men and a male juvenile in connection with the murder.

READ MORE

PSNI officers arrested a 30-year-old and the juvenile on Friday as well as another 30-year-old and an 18-year-old over the weekend. All are being questioned at Antrim interrogation centre.

All the arrests have been carried out in Derry, some 75 miles away from the murder scene in Belfast. Officers also conducted a number of searches and removed some items for forensic examination.

They have also made an appeal for information about the movements of a green Isuzu Trooper between 2am and 2.30am - around the time of the murder.

Mr Mongan's car, which was parked near the family home, was attacked and damaged shortly after the killing.

Detectives investigating another murder in the Glenshane Pass area of Co Derry are still questioning two men.

The body of Gregory Woods (41) from Castledawson in the county was found in a forested area of the pass late on Tuesday last week.

A 29-year-old man has been charged with false imprisonment over the death and is expected to appear at Derry Magistrates Court today.

It is understood a search for Mr Woods was launched last Monday night after his family contacted police.

Last night police conducted inquiries in the area where Mr Woods's body was found.